Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 and the Prognosis of Patients With Advanced Liver Diseases: A Meta-Analysis

Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a hepatocyte-derived cytokine, has been suggested to reflect hepatic function reserve. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the association between serum IGF-1 levels on the admission and prognosis of patients with advanced liver diseases.

A thorough examination of the literature was conducted across various databases, namely PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wanfang, and CNKI, with the aim of identifying relevant cohort studies. The data were synthesized using the random-effects model, taking into account the potential impact of heterogeneity.

A total of 9 cohorts were included. Patients with a low serum level of IGF-1, as compared with those with a high IGF-1 at baseline, exhibited a significantly poorer transplant-free survival (risk ratio: 3.03, 95% confidence interval: 2.17 to 4.22, P < 0.001), with no significant heterogeneity observed ( P for Cochrane Q test = 0.92, I2 = 0%). A sensitivity analysis, which was conducted by excluding 1 study at a time, yielded consistent results (risk ratio: 2.94-3.24, P all < 0.05). In addition, consistent results were observed in further subgroup analyses based on various factors, including cutoffs of IGF-1, country of the study, patient diagnosis, methods for measuring serum IGF-1, follow-up duration, analytic model, and quality scores ( P for subgroup difference all > 0.05).

A diminished serum IGF-1 level on admission could potentially serve as an indicator for an unfavorable prognosis among patients afflicted with advanced liver disease, such as severe hepatitis and cirrhosis.